2013 UEFA Champions League

[St. Pats]

That game was fixed pure and simple. There is no other logical explanation.

[d_phaneuf]

omg

he's begging for the job

Mourinho

"the best team lost"

[d_phaneuf]

and now Roy Keane is trolling Fergie

backed the ref, said it was a red

[polak]

Originally Posted by St. Pats

That game was fixed pure and simple. There is no other logical explanation.

As some one who didn't watch the game and doesn't have any vested interest in either team, I can see the case being made for a red card. You simply can't jump, cleets up and hit a player in the chest. The intent might not have been there but it was still reckless.

Far from "OMG Had to be fixed". Not even remotely close.

I do love it when giants fall. That would've happened regardless who won that match.

[St. Pats]

Originally Posted by polak

As some one who didn't watch the game and doesn't have any vested interest in either team, I can see the case being made for a red card. You simply can't jump, cleets up and hit a player in the chest. The intent might not have been there but it was still reckless.

I do love it when giants fall. That would've happened regardless who won that match.

Yep whatever. It was nothing more than a yellow at the max and no ref calls it a red unless he has been paid off. It's commonplace these days. Some groups made some heavy cash. You could tell even from the players muted reaction that they knew they had been handed one by a guy on the take.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

Its not a red because its a champions league knockout game between Real and Man U and a good ref doesn't try to decide the game unless he absoloutly has too.

It was a yellow, a yellow because it didn't cost Real a player or a goal and because the game wasn't in the least chippy and the player wasn't on a warning or the like.

It used to be a joke but these days I would seriously worry about the ref being on the fiddle with that call

And I hate Man effing U and am glad they lost

Thats the thing though if that was a Red in a Sunday game between Norwich and Sunderland nobody would even be blinking an eye.

I agree that it should be a yellow...but to call it the worst red ever seen and to say the ref should never ref a Champions League game again is pretty far off.

It was a reckless, dangerous play.

Any time a tackle is a jump (check) and cleats up(check) it has the potential to be a red card. Just because he was tracking the ball in the air doesn't mean this is situation is any different.

In my opinion is is a yellow, in the refs opinion it was a red. I don't agree with him but due to those two factors (jump and cleats up) I can see his point. Especially when he doesn't have the benefit of watching it 30 times as a gif.

[polak]

This was a controversial call on a play that could have very well earned a red form any ref without the benefit of a replay.

Stop crying.

[browna]

Not watching the game, but from the GIF, I think the fact that Nani turned his head toward the player probably in the refs eyes it looked intentional.

Of course, that head turn was also was more or less following the path of the ball in, and likley also the defender coming out of the corner of his eye.

If you avoid watching the ball, and just watch Nani's head, you see what I mean. If that's what the ref saw, ,or just saw Nani's head in the split second it was facing the defender, just before impact, it looks like a red.

Otherwise, not a red for intent...but cleats up above the waist is always a gray area.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

Its not a red because its a champions league knockout game between Real and Man U and a good ref doesn't try to decide the game unless he absoloutly has too.

It was a yellow, a yellow because it didn't cost Real a player or a goal and because the game wasn't in the least chippy and the player wasn't on a warning or the like.

It used to be a joke but these days I would seriously worry about the ref being on the fiddle with that call

And I hate Man effing U and am glad they lost

The bolded portion hits the nail on the head. This is an official going out of his way to decide a match, and that's f'in pathetic.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by polak

As some one who didn't watch the game and doesn't have any vested interest in either team, I can see the case being made for a red card. You simply can't jump, cleets up and hit a player in the chest. The intent might not have been there but it was still reckless.

Far from "OMG Had to be fixed". Not even remotely close.

I do love it when giants fall. That would've happened regardless who won that match.

You do have to see the game to know when a red is coming or not short of someone taking a swing, this was a very well played game with no edge and just a couple of yellows, soccer is not reffed just by the play, it is reffed by the game, it was a horrendous call, he had a yellow he could give the player which makes it worse

[St. Pats]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

You do have to see the game to know when a red is coming or not short of someone taking a swing, this was a very well played game with no edge and just a couple of yellows, soccer is not reffed just by the play, it is reffed by the game, it was a horrendous call, he had a yellow he could give the player which makes it worse

Certainly was, well unless you are United hater. Otherwise Man U and Madrid fans both know it was a joke.

[polak]

In other news...

[united]

Sad that soccer fans around the world were robbed of what was a great game between two great teams up until that point. Maybe Real would've won anyway, who knows. Fact is, yet again, an official makes it his intention to take over a match by making a blatantly incorrect call that even the most casual fan at live speed without replay or gif knew was a horrible decision.

Great reaction by Rio - he should be given a bonus by the officials association but will sadly face some sort of repercussion.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by St. Pats

Certainly was, well unless you are United hater. Otherwise Man U and Madrid fans both know it was a joke.

I am unbiased (actually don't mind either team) and I prefer EPL to La Liga but I can see the reasons that may be a red.

You ref the "game" if it is a bad dirty game and then give cards where they are not deserved to get the game back on track and send a message. If the game is clean and a dangerous play happens you don't just turn away because the game was clean up until that point, in that case you judge the act.

There are three issues with Nani's challenge that usually can lead to at least a yellow if done individually, let alone all three combined.

• Jumping Tackle- Usually leads to a yellow/red
• Cleats Up- Usually leads to a yellow/red
• High Kick- Can potentially lead to a yellow

This tackle featured all three of those things. Sure there was no malicious intent but that doesn't change the fact that it was stupid and dangerous.

Due to the lack of intent I would have called it a yellow but the grounds are there for that to be a red card.

[polak]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I am unbiased (actually don't mind either team) and I prefer EPL to La Liga but I can see the reasons that may be a red.

You ref the "game" if it is a bad dirty game and then give cards where they are not deserved. If the game is clean and a dangerous play happens you don't just turn away because the game was clean up until that point, in that case you judge the act.

There are three issues with Nani's challenge that usually can lead to at least a yellow if done individually, let alone all three combined.

• Jumping Tackle- Usually leads to a yellow/red
• Cleats Up- Usually leads to a yellow/red
• High Kick- Can potentially lead to a yellow

This tackle featured all three of those things. Sure there was no malicious intent but that doesn't change the fact that it was stupid and dangerous.

Due to the lack of intent I would have called it a yellow but the grounds are there for that to be a red card.

This.

Only Man U fans / Real haters could call this a blatant crime against humanity.

There was definitely grounds for a red card. It's not outlandish to believe so.

Want to avoid a red card? Don't do the three things Nani did. No problems.

[St. Pats]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I am unbiased (actually don't mind either team) and I prefer EPL to La Liga but I can see the reasons that may be a red.

You ref the "game" if it is a bad dirty game and then give cards where they are not deserved to get the game back on track and send a message. If the game is clean and a dangerous play happens you don't just turn away because the game was clean up until that point, in that case you judge the act.

There are three issues with Nani's challenge that usually can lead to at least a yellow if done individually, let alone all three combined.

• Jumping Tackle- Usually leads to a yellow/red
• Cleats Up- Usually leads to a yellow/red
• High Kick- Can potentially lead to a yellow

This tackle featured all three of those things. Sure there was no malicious intent but that doesn't change the fact that it was stupid and dangerous.

Due to the lack of intent I would have called it a yellow but the grounds are there for that to be a red card.

Haters going to hate.

[GirlySports]

That looked really dangerous in full speed. When the ref ran towards the area, I was quickly asking 'would he dare give a red card?" and he did.

There are a couple of things, it depends on the the refs angle.. I wish he would have perhaps consulted the linesman. And Nani hadn't even comitted a foul in the game I don't think so he wasn't walknig a tightrope at all so maybe a yellow would have been enough. But Nani can't raise his foot like that, that's a ball he cannot go for, he has to track back.

It must have looked extremely malicious from the refs angle or else I also thought it was harsh.

I don't really care about the 'it ruined the game arguments', the refs job is not to ensure the entertainment of the game, he's there to apply the laws of the game.

[united]

What a shame. Hundreds of media members, ex-players and ex-officials are puzzled by the call. The only person who seems to agree is Sid Sixeiro which only proves how right everyone else is.

BTW - certainly a yellow.

BBC Sport ‏@BBCSport
Everton boss David Moyes on @bbc5live: "I think they have a right to surround the referee, it has cost them the biggest prize in football."

Short and sweet, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho: "The best team lost, we didn't play well & we didn't deserve to win." #bbcfootball #MUFC

Retired referee Dermot Gallagher @bbc5live: "I cannot see what stretch of the imagination where I would have sent Nani off for that." #MUFC

[M*A*S*H 4077]

I'm not sure it was a red, but it certainly wasn't the worst call ever.

Also, am I the only person who thinks a red card in a friendly between TFC and Vancouver should be the same as a red in a World Cup final? There are rules, if you don't want to be sent off don't violate the rules. More of a general comment than related to what happened here.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by St. Pats

Haters going to hate.

Yeah because the United fans in this thread are the source for unbiased information.

United is out and that is all that matters right now, no whining about the ref will change that.

Instead of blaming the ref they should look at how they collapsed after the red card giving up two goals in short succession.

Many teams have held on to leads after being put a man short and United couldn't even last 10 minutes.